Darth Ithead

A Darth Vader-shaped joke dropped into Futurama's universe, all cape and menace and a name that puns its way to the punchline before he even speaks. He carries himself with the stiff, portentous swagger of a movie villain, fully aware he is a costume more than a character.

The gag is the whole point, and John DiMaggio's gravelly delivery sells the self-seriousness perfectly, giving a one-note parody real comic weight. Futurama trades in exactly this kind of glancing, background-detail humor, and a growled, over-portentous cameo like this is why the show rewards paying attention to the corners of the frame.